Despite what you may hear, Search Engine Optimization isn’t dead. But it’s certainly now what it used to be.
There was a time when “SEO” essentially just meant completing a simple checklist: keywords, backlinks, meta descriptions, sitemap. You optimized your website for Google, crossed your fingers, and hoped to rise in the rankings.
Today, however, that formula doesn’t even scratch the surface. Consumers now discover brands across a wide variety of platforms—from TikTok and YouTube to Amazon, Pinterest, and even ChatGPT. Search is no longer confined to a single browser bar. It’s happening everywhere, all the time.
At FPW Media, we’ve embraced this transformation head-on. In our new white paper, Search Everywhere Optimization and the Benefits of Hiring an Agency in a Fragmented Digital Landscape, we outline a bold new framework for how modern search really works—and what businesses must do to thrive in it.
Below, we’ll unpack a few of the key ideas. But if you want the full story, download the white paper here.
The Fragmented Search Journey Is Here to Stay
Imagine a potential customer is researching CRM software. Ten years ago, they might have typed “best CRM for small business” into Google, clicked the top link, and made a decision.
Today, they’re watching YouTube tutorials, asking ChatGPT for recommendations, browsing Reddit threads, checking reviews on G2, and watching TikTok explainers.
The modern buyer journey now touches five to ten platforms before a single click happens on your site.
This is what we call Search Everywhere, and it demands a radical shift in how brands think about discoverability.
Google Isn’t Enough Anymore
Sure, Google is still important. But it’s no longer the only game in town:
- 61% of product searches now begin on Amazon.
- 40% of Gen Z uses TikTok and Instagram as their starting point for local discoverability.
- Visual search via tools like Google Lens sees over 20 billion searches per month.
- AI platforms like ChatGPT and Perplexity are rapidly replacing traditional search journeys.
If your brand isn’t showing up across all these platforms—optimized for the formats and algorithms that power them—you’re invisible to a significant chunk of your audience.
In-House Teams Can’t Do It All Alone
One of the biggest takeaways from our white paper? Even the most talented in-house marketing teams can’t keep up with the complexity of today’s search landscape on their own.
Here’s why:
- The skillsets required—technical SEO, TikTok optimization, YouTube metadata strategy, AI discoverability, analytics interpretation, and much more—are diverse and highly specialized.
- Platform rules change constantly—from Google’s core updates to TikTok’s caption algorithms.
- The tooling alone costs tens of thousands annually and takes time to master.
Agencies like FPW Media bring unified teams, real-world experience, and proven systems to deliver omnichannel visibility without overloading your internal staff or budgets.
Real Results Require a Cross-Platform Strategy
What does Search Everywhere Optimization actually look like in practice?
- Crafting platform-specific content—not just repurposing one blog post across every channel.
- Building technical SEO foundations that support fast load times, structured data, and mobile-first performance.
- Leveraging data-driven optimization through A/B testing, scroll heatmaps, attribution modeling, and real-time dashboards.
- Staying agile with competitive intelligence across Google, Amazon, social, and AI platforms.
In short, it’s about turning discovery moments into conversion moments—wherever they happen.
Don’t Let SEO Debt Hold You Back
Ignoring omni-channel optimization doesn’t just stall your growth. It creates what we call SEO debt—the accumulated cost of outdated content, broken technical elements, and discoverability gaps.
Like financial debt, the longer you let it grow, the harder (and more expensive) it is to remedy.
From missed AI search opportunities to slow-loading Shopify pages to content that never surfaces in TikTok’s top results, these blind spots cost brands real revenue.
Ready to Level Up Your Search Strategy?
The future of SEO isn’t Google-first—it’s everywhere-first.
That’s why we wrote this white paper: to provide a roadmap for brands who want to compete (and win) in the modern search ecosystem.
Download the full white paper here to learn:
- Why in-house teams are struggling to keep up
- How to align search strategy with actual revenue goals
- What “Search Everywhere Optimization” looks like in practice
- How FPW Media helps brands win across platforms
Your audience is already searching everywhere; let’s make sure they find you.
